Welcome to Pier and Surf!
You have to register
before you can post but feel free to browse all you like. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want further down the page.
If you have questions, be sure to
check out the FAQ.

Johnny Mercer Pier, A BIG NO-NO

Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightesville Beach, has een added to my "Never Go Again" List, at least until it aquires new management.

I called the pier Wednesday to inquire about cost, parking, bait bucket need, and rules with respect to cast nets, anchor and fighting rod holders. Here's what I was told versus actual:

1. cost: told $7 per rod but no charge for anchor rod since no hooks on anchor. Actual= $8 per rod including anchor.

2. Parking: told there was "free parking" very close to pier at public beach access. Actual= NO Free parking anywhere within a mile of pier, all parking was $1.25 an hour.

3. Bait bucket: Told I would not need bait bucket as they had a "live bait" tank. Actual= NO LIVE BAIT TANK.

4. Rod Holders: Told they had preset, numbered anchor rod holders. Actual= No anchor rod holders and since concrete was so thick you couldn't use rod clamp for fighting rod. To keep line and rod guides from resting on concrete you needed to place something between rods and pier, I used duct tape.

5. Cast nets: Told castnets were allowed and in fact they had built the pier with 3 special mini "T's" for use of castnets. Actual= Sign on pier entrance "NO CASTNETS ALLOWED"

The pier itself is an awesome structure, nice and flat surface, no splinters in your feet and hands. Deep water of the end which stays crystal clear 80% of the time. However unless you are tall you will have tough time working gotcha while holding rod down, also you must be tall to look straight down over concrete railing.

Pier has restaruant that opens at 11 AM, pier is open 24 hrs, no shark fishing. Parking is $1.25 an hour between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, free all other times.

I haven't been to that pier in years. However, I have a special place in my heart for those planks. I caught my first ocean fish off the end of that pier 20 years ago.
Yeah, it was an inshore lizzard fish.
But it was my first.

I haven't been to that pier in years. However, I have a special place in my heart for those planks. I caught my first ocean fish off the end of that pier 20 years ago.
Yeah, it was an inshore lizzard fish.
But it was my first.

Damn, I gettin' old. Was 1985 really 20 years ago?

I caught one of those yesterday, and a monster 18" cobia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightesville Beach, has een added to my "Never Go Again" List, at least until it aquires new management.

I called the pier Wednesday to inquire about cost, parking, bait bucket need, and rules with respect to cast nets, anchor and fighting rod holders. Here's what I was told versus actual:

1. cost: told $7 per rod but no charge for anchor rod since no hooks on anchor. Actual= $8 per rod including anchor.

2. Parking: told there was "free parking" very close to pier at public beach access. Actual= NO Free parking anywhere within a mile of pier, all parking was $1.25 an hour.

3. Bait bucket: Told I would not need bait bucket as they had a "live bait" tank. Actual= NO LIVE BAIT TANK.

4. Rod Holders: Told they had preset, numbered anchor rod holders. Actual= No anchor rod holders and since concrete was so thick you couldn't use rod clamp for fighting rod. To keep line and rod guides from resting on concrete you needed to place something between rods and pier, I used duct tape.

5. Cast nets: Told castnets were allowed and in fact they had built the pier with 3 special mini "T's" for use of castnets. Actual= Sign on pier entrance "NO CASTNETS ALLOWED"

The pier itself is an awesome structure, nice and flat surface, no splinters in your feet and hands. Deep water of the end which stays crystal clear 80% of the time. However unless you are tall you will have tough time working gotcha while holding rod down, also you must be tall to look straight down over concrete railing.

Pier has restaruant that opens at 11 AM, pier is open 24 hrs, no shark fishing. Parking is $1.25 an hour between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, free all other times.

Did you happen to ask if anyone formerly from the Nationial Parks Service was managing the pier?
Stuff like this really sucks, I'm sorry you had to go through such Bull$#it
just to fish off a pier. Can't say I've ever been there, but I can tell you I'll never fish there. I'm about convinced that I need to keep my Virginia behind north of the boarder.

Did you happen to ask if anyone formerly from the Nationial Parks Service was managing the pier?
Stuff like this really sucks, I'm sorry you had to go through such Bull$#it
just to fish off a pier. Can't say I've ever been there, but I can tell you I'll never fish there. I'm about convinced that I need to keep my Virginia behind north of the boarder.

The price to Kingfish these pier varies from about
$9 to $20 per person, but they are upfront when you call and ask. Most of the piers south of Hatteras have Live Bait Tanks, so you don't need a bait bucket. The owner of Kure Pier has been known to take his boat out to get bait for tank when it is almost impossible to catch on pier.

Are you sure you called wrightsville because I fish there all the time and know all that work there and I cant believe they would tel you that. Did you call and talk to someone during the day or night? Why would they tell you they have 3 t's on the pier? I think you called another pier and just forgot who you called.

Hell Johnny mercer pier is good. Caught a ton of spaniard mackerals and bluefish there on my honeymoon this year (wife caught more than me a couple of days), and while they were missing some amenities (namely rod holders at the end of the 'T' for anchor rods) it was a nice setup and the staff was excellent and honest. Crowds never got too bad either, nowhere near some of the highly prominent crystal coast piers I've hit up.

yeah, try Jolly Roger at south Topsail...great folks...but, no anchor rods up in the air....you lay them down so other folks can cast/fight fish....everyone gets along...$20/day, bait tank, free parking, hotel, grill, etc...

johnnie mercers has some really good fishing and never too crowded on the end like a lot of piers but between the parking and cost to fish it is like 40$ if your kingfishing or bring 3 or 4 rods! and its is really hard to find a place to park!